Natures and Demeanors
Natures and Demeanors Mechanics Source: http://thievescant.wordpress.com/2009/04/20/nature-and-demeanor-architect-to-celebrant/ Your character is more than an aggregate of powers, ability scores, feats, and skills. He has goals, wants, and desires. He has fears, vices, and attachments. He maybe wholly good or wholly lawful. He maybe wholly evil or wholly chaotic. More likely, however, he exists in that expansive grey area most of us do. To that end, you should give your character two character traits that best represent his philosophical, logical, or moral outlook on life. These two character traits are labeled Nature and Demeanor. ; Nature : This is a representation of who your character is at his very core. This is who he is when the going gets tough, or when no one is around to see him. A character’s nature can be the result of upbringing, lessons learned, or an innate unshakeable faith in something. Of course, these are but examples; your character can have cemented his nature in any number of ways – what matters is that he has cemented it. Your character may have a million questions in his life, but at the center he has this outlook on life guiding him. ; Demeanor : On one hand your character’s demeanor is his mask. It is the face he shows the world. However, it is a much deeper part of his personality than a simple disguise or outward social action. A demeanor comes from somewhere. It can be a representation of what the character wants to be. It can be an armor that shields the character from what it fears or shies from. It can be an imitation of his father, knowingly or not. It can simply be the irrational part of the personality that steps forth when the character must act. It is no less important to your character than his nature. Nature and demeanor have a simple mechanical affect on the game as well. They give the guidelines that a DM should use in the rewarding of RP points. Simply put, the DM should be familiar with the characters choices so they can judge if the character is following through on his choices. If the player is acting noticeably different from his listed persona, talk to the player and see if a better set of traits would be more fitting. Ideally, however, the DM should be there in character creation to help better understand how the player interprets his character’s personality archetypes. Listed below are archetypes, personality traits that give insight into a character’s mind and how it operates, along with 3 questions to better define the player’s understanding of how the archetype applies to their character. To start characters should choose archetypes that best represent their character’s nature and demeanor. However, as a caveat, strict adherence to these archetypes is not necessary. A player should use these archetypes in conjunction with motives, history, wants, fears, etc to act as their character would. It is likely that players may come up with more defined or customized archetypes for their character. This should be encouraged as beings often change based on stimulus, surroundings, and experiences. Adventurers, despite the amount of power they bring to bear, are people nonetheless. Natures and Demeanors List Source: http://www.deathquaker.org/gaming/archetypes.html ; Analyst : Anything can be explained rationally, and you will explain it. Regain willpower when your rational/scientific method helps solve a major problem. : (Aeon: Trinity) ; Architect (aka Maker and Builder) : You desire to leave a legacy, tangible or intangible. This could be anything from an artistic masterpiece to a successful organization you founded to a new tradition you started.. Regain Willpower when you create something of great importance and/or lasting value. : (Wraith: The Oblivion, Werewolf Players Guide) ; Autist : You live inside your shell. Revealing the 'real' you could be the worst thing that could ever happen. Regain Willpower when you manage to keep someone entirely out. : (Werewolf Players Guide) ; Autocrat : You must be in control in all times of all situations. Regain Willpower when you maintain control during a situation and success is guaranteed. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Avant-Garde : You must be the first to know everything. Nothing is established, no gossip is spread without you having known it first. A good nature for irritating Torries. Regain Willpower when you make an exciting discovery regarding the society in which you're involved. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Benefactor : You have a bounty of riches or some other resources which you feel compelled to share. Regain Willpower when you help someone by providing something no one else around you can. : (Mage: the Sorcerer's Crusade) ; Bon Vivant (aka Hedonist and Reveler) : Live for today, 'cos buddy, tomorrow may never happen. Regain Willpower when you have a rock-n-rollin time, or manage to fully express your enthusiasm for life. : (Wraith: the Oblivion, Werewolf Players Guide) ; Bravo : You have little tolerance for weakness, especially in yourself. You could be a proud warrior or a just plain bully. Regain Willpower when you intimidate or physically force someone to do what you want or back down. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Bureaucrat : You follow the rules no matter what. Regain Willpower when you solve a situation by the book, getting others around you to do so as well. : (Aeon Trinity) ; Caregiver : You desire to take care of others, ease their pain, and heal them. Regain Willpower whenever you successfully protect or nurture someone else. : (Wraith: The Oblivion) ; Cavalier : You are the hero, the gallant defender of truth, justice, and all that is good. Regain Willpower when you accomplish a significant task for the better of the group (or the world as a whole, for that matter). : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Child (aka Cub) : Whether you are one or not age-wise, you haven't grown up emotionally and prefer to let someone else take care of you. Regain Willpower when someone helps you with no apparent gain to herself. : (Werewolf Players Guide) ; Competitor : There is no greater thrill than the thrill of victory, and you'll do anything to feel it. Regain Willpower when you win a contest, formal or informal. : (General) ; Confidant : You like and understand people and like to give advice-and you're usually good at it too. Regain Willpower when someone confides in you on a personal level. : (Werewolf Players Guide) ; Conniver : You like to manipulate your way through the sticky bits of life, preferring to let some sucker do the dirty work for you. Regain Willpower whenever you trick someone into doing what you want. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Crackerjack : Whatever it is you do, you're the best, and people can't help but be impressed. Regain Willpower whenever you pull off an impressive stunt in the face of incredible odds (this may include making a roll of 4 successes or more on something). : (Sorcerer) ; Critic : Everything has a fault and you will find it. Regain Willpower when you point out a significant flaw in something that would have caused disaster if overlooked. : (Aeon Trinity) ; Curmudgeon : You're irascible and cynical and vocally so. Joy and laughter? Bah, humbug! Regain Willpower when someone does something stupid, as you predicted. : (Werewolf Players Guide) ; Decoder : You thrive on puzzles and riddles, be they the obvious sort, found in books and games, or hidden within seemingly benign texts or even a person's face. Regain Willpower when you solve a particularly challenging puzzle or mystery. : (Homebrew from http://www.deathquaker.org/gaming/archetypes.html) ; Deviant : Whether it's because of your ethics, beliefs, or general view of people and society, you just plain don't fit in. Regain Willpower whenever you blatantly defy social codes without getting punished. : (Wraith: The Oblivion) ; Director/Leader : You always know the best way to go about doing something, and it only makes sense that persons follow your lead. Regain Willpower when you are able to lead a group in accomplishing a significant task. : (Wraith: The Oblivion) ; Evader :Similar to the Masquerader, the Evader has something to hide, but they don't revel in being something they're not; they revel in preventing anyone from finding out some truth. This may manifest as someone who enjoys disguises, or simply as someone who avoids answering questions in a straight manner, preferring misdirection or nebulous information to offering anything that could be so easily picked apart. They could be a trickster or a con man; a spy or a deviant. Regain Willpower when you resolve a situation without anyone plucking any useful information from the exchange. :(Homebrew) ; Explorer : The world is full of wonder, and you've got to see it all. Regain Willpower when you make a significant discovery, such as finding a special place or artifact, or making a profound insight about yourself or a friend. : (Mummy, Mage: the Sorcerer's Crusade) ; Fanatic : You have a cause, or maybe the cause has you... You live, eat, breathe this cause (of course, if you pick this one, you have to define what that cause is). Regain Willpower when you accomplish something that furthers your cause. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Follower : You're happy to help the leaders accomplish their goals, and stabilize the group with your support. Regain Willpower when your group accomplishes something due to your support. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Gallant : You are flamboyant as hell, and love to be the center of attention. Regain Willpower when you dazzle or impress another person. : (General) ; Guardian : You have the strength, be it inner, physical, or both, to handle this hostile world, and desire to use that strength to protect the weaker folk around you. Regain Willpower when you successfully shield some worthy party from great harm. : (Mage: the Sorcerer's Crusade) ; Honest Abe : Honesty is the best policy; integrity is the greatest virtue. You are true to your values and to everyone around you- all the time. Regain Willpower when you remain completely honest through a situation where it seems dishonesty would have worked better-and then it turns out your way was for the best. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Jester : You are the fool, the comic, the smartass, always looking for the humor in a situation. Regain Willpower when you lift someone's spirits/ease their pain with your humor. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Jobsworth : A bit similar to bureaucrat, you always stick to your routine. Routine is safe and efficient. Regain Willpower when your insistence on sticking to your routine turns out for the best. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Judge (Mediator) : You are an arbitrator and peacemaker, acting as a fair voice in conflictual situations. Regain Willpower when you separate truth from lies (without supernatural aid) or successfully mediate a conflict. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Loner (aka Lone Wolf) : You have your own path and no desire to share it with anyone else. Regain Willpower when you manage to achieve a significant task without anyone else's help. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Manipulator : People fascinate you, and you love to see the many ways they react to the situation you've so carefully set up for them. Regain Willpower when you gain some new insight about people from some "experiment" you've performed on them without their realizing it. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Martyr : You would rather suffer or even die than sacrifice your values or your friends' needs. Regain Willpower when you do that. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Masochist : You're always trying to see just how much more trauma you can take before you collapse. Regain Willpower when you make it through a new and interesting painful experience. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Masquerader : You enjoy pretending what you're not, and may be doing so to hide from others-or yourself. Particularly, you try to hide your true supernatural identity. Regain Willpower when you resolve a situation without anyone finding out that you're a supernatural being (or, depending on the situation, the true supernatural being you are, rather than the one you're pretending to be). : (Mummy) ; Monster : You are depraved, villainous scum. Regain Willpower when you manage to indulge in suffering that you've produced. : (Mage: the Ascension) ; Optimist : You can always see that silver lining despite that icky dark cloud looming in front of it. Regain Willpower when your conviction that all will turn out for the best gets the group through-and it turns out you're right! : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Pedagogue : You are the ultimate teacher, living to pass on your knowledge so everyone might benefit from the wisdom of your experiences. Regain Willpower when someone really learns a great lesson from you. : (General) ; Penitent : What ever it was you did, it was bad, and you devote all your energy to atoning for your sin. Regain Willpower when you perform a feat that significantly alleviates your guilt or is a step in achieving the goal that will make up for your crime. If you roleplay out a feat that so frees you from your guilt that you are really no longer penitent, the ST may allow you to gain one permanent point of Willpower and then you must change your nature. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Perfectionist : Everything you do, say, are... must be without flaw. Regain Willpower when you do something without a hint of mistake. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Plotter : Everything you do must be planned out to the last detail. Regain Willpower when you/the group accomplishes something by following your plan to the letter. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Poltroon : Running away may be cowardly, but you're alive, aren't you? Why deal with something potentially unpleasant and possibly fatal when you can just avoid it? Regain Willpower when you manage to escape a particularly nasty situation without having to deal with it at all. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Praise-Seeker : You absolutely crave the approval of your comrades. Regain Willpower when you are praised genuinely for a feat you accomplished by yourself. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Predator : The fittest survive, and you're pretty damn fit. Regain Willpower when you single-handedly hunt and kill another creature to ensure your survival. : (Werewolf Players Guide) ; Rebel : You will do as you will, and ultimately desire freedom from unpleasant societal bonds. Regain Willpower when your rebellion against authority or the status quo turns out for the best. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Recognition Seeker : The opposite of the Masquerader, you love being the supernatural being you are, and despite the danger, long to let other people know about it. Regain Willpower when someone realizes for the first time that you are more than merely mortal. : (Mummy) ; Reluctant Supernatural : Garou, Vampire, Mage, whatever strange thing you are-you don't want to be it. You long for your "normal" life, before whatever changed you into this thing you can't understand. Gain one point of Permanent Willpower when you discover your place in the new world you've entered and found some kind of peace with yourself. Choose a new Nature after this epiphany. : (General) ; Renunciate : For some reason, you want to leave your past far, far behind you; though as hard as you try to forget it, the past will forever haunt you. Regain Willpower when you shake aside someone/something that reminds you of your past, and do so without consequences. : (Sorcerer, Mage: the Sorcerer's Crusade) ; Revolutionary : You hold freedom dearly and desire justice, and will do whatever is necessary to hold on to these precious liberties. Unlike the Rebel, your urge is not to resist ALL authority, but rather to fight corruption in the system where you find it. Regain Willpower when your questioning or resisting leadership or the status quo turns out to be best for you/your party/or those you are trying to protect. : (Homebrew from http://www.deathquaker.org/gaming/archetypes.html) ; Rogue : Screw the world! You do what you need to look out for yourself and get done what has to get done. If someone else suffers in the process, that's just too bad. Regain Willpower when your self-centered methods gain you something of significant value. : (Mage: the Ascension) ; Sage : Knowledge is your treasure and your joy, and you enjoy both learning as well as teaching others your wisdom. Regain Willpower when you help someone through your vast knowledge or uncover an obscure piece of lore. : (Sorcerer, Mage the Sorcerer's Crusade) ; Sensualist : Sensation is your addiction, and you'll do anything to experience a new one. Regain Willpower when you experience a new, exciting sensation and live to tell about it. : (Sorcerer) ; Show-Off : You need approval and praise and will do anything to get it. Regain Willpower when your antics earn you that praise you so crave. : (General) ; Supplicant : Whatever you do, it is in the service of the Divine Being which you honor, fear, and/or love. Regain Willpower when you significantly advance the aims of your Benefactor (optional: without endangering yourself in the process). Remember, of course, that the deity you follow does not necessarily have to be nice. : (Sorcerer, Mage: the Sorcerer's Crusade) ; Survivor : No matter what happens, you'll pull through it somehow. You're one tough cookie, and don't understand it when others give up so easily. Regain Willpower when you survive a difficult situation by the skin of your teeth. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Sycophant : You're the perfect yes-man, doing whatever you can to please the more powerful forces that be so they'll protect you. That silly Arab guy from The Mummy is a good example. Regain Willpower whenever another character offers unprompted praise, admiration or appreciation. If the appreciation is truly great, and/or the other character is powerful or particularly admired, the Storyteller may award extra points. : (Vampire Players Guide) ; Theorist : The world around you is something to try and explain, and your theories drive your purpose for being. Regain Willpower when an observation based on your theory comes to pass. This has to be a well-thought-out, complex theory, not something that's already blatantly obvious. : (Sorcerer) ; Thrillseeker : The stakes are just never high enough. More adrenaline, please! Regain Willpower every time you willingly enter a life-threatening situation and then escape it. : (Aeon Trinity) ; Traditionalist : Why change what's worked for ages? You're the ultimate conservative. Regain Willpower when your old-fashioned methods prove to be the best solution. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Trickster : Your antics do more than amuse; your pranks and tricks have a point of teaching someone a lesson, or humorously but deftly reveal some wisdom. Regain Willpower when your acts reveal wisdom that would not have been realized by more traditional means. :(Mage: the Sorcerer's Crusade, Willpower award from http://www.deathquaker.org/gaming/archetypes.html) ; Visionary : You have the drive and imagination to keep aiming for the sky and beyond. Regain Willpower when you convince others to believe in your dreams and follow your vision. : (Wraith: the Oblivion) ; Waif : Whether you are or not, you have the appearance of being innocent and weak, and you haven't quite learned to act on your own without relying on others' pity. Regain Willpower when you accomplish something important without anyone's help. : (Mage: the Sorcerer's Crusade) ; Wanderer : Settling down just is not your thing-whether you're running away from something or simply longing to see new places, the road is your home. Regain Willpower when you complete your purpose in one place and move on, leaving no loose ends or attachments behind. : (Mummy) Category:Stats Category:Reference Category:Homebrew Content